Phalaenopsis orchid plant named ‘PHALGONDAL’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘PHALGONDAL’, particularly characterized by having white flowers, 1 to 6 peduncles that are long and sturdy, leaves that are oblong, and is propagated by meristem tissue culture, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Phalaenopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘PHALGONDAL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPhalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis hybrid of theOrchidaceae family, commonly referred to as moth orchid, and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘PHALGONDAL’.

The new Phalaenopsis plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The objectiveof this breeding program was to create a new Phalaenopsis plant withnumerous stalks and attractive white flowers suitable for potted plantproduction.

The new Phalaenopsis plant ‘PHALGONDAL’ is a result of cross-pollinationmade by the inventor in July 2008 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands of theproprietary female, or seed parent, Phalaenopsis hybrid ‘01-3120’(unpatented) with the proprietary male, or pollen parent, Phalaenopsishybrid ‘22444-010’ (unpatented).

The new Phalaenopsis was selected by the inventor as a single plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands in August 2011. Asexualreproduction of the new Phalaenopsis plant by meristem tissue culturesince 2014 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands, has demonstrated that the newvariety reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, asherein described, firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have been applied for in Europeon Apr. 24, 2017. ‘PHALGONDAL’ has not been made publicly available orsold anywhere in the world more than one year prior to the filing dateof this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands and can be used todistinguish ‘PHALGONDAL’ as a new and distinct variety of Phalaenopsisplant.

-   -   1) Flower is white;    -   2) 1 to 6 peduncles;    -   3) Peduncle is long and sturdy; and    -   4) Shape of the leaf is oblong.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Phalaenopsis plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the overall plant habit including blooms andfoliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonablyobtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photographs weretaken in a greenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands, from 50-week oldplants in June 2017. Colors in the photographs may differ from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description, which accuratelydescribe the actual colors of the new variety.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms and foliage of‘PHALGONDAL’.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of a flower of ‘PHALGONDAL’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the leaves of ‘PHALGONDAL’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘PHALGONDAL’. Plants of the new Phalaenopsis have notbeen observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotypemay vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature,light intensity and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype. The chart used in the identification of colors describedherein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society,London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms ofordinary significance are used. The color values were determined under4000-6000 lux natural light in a greenhouse in Bleiswijk, TheNetherlands. Observations and measurements were made in June 2017 on50-week old plants which were planted from a nursery tray in 12centimeter (diameter) pots and grown in a greenhouse between 27° C. to29° C. for 30 weeks, continued by a cooling period of 8 weeks between18° C. to 20° C. and 12 weeks in a greenhouse of 21° C.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Orchidaceae.        -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrid.        -   Common name.—Moth orchid.        -   Variety name.—‘PHALGONDAL’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘01-3120’ (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘22444-010’ (unpatented).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Meristem tissue culture.-   Roots:    -   -   Root description.—Light green colored roots (RHS 146B) with            branching lateral roots having light green colored root tips            (RHS 146C).-   Plant:    -   -   Commercial crop time to flowering.—Approximately 48 to 50            weeks from a rooted cutting to finish in a 12 cm pot.        -   Growth habit of peduncle.—Standard, green leaves, raceme.        -   Height (from soil level to top of            inflorescence).—Approximately 50.0 cm to 55.0 cm.        -   Width (measured from leaf tips).—About 29.0 cm to 31.0 cm.        -   Vigor.—Moderate.-   Leaves:    -   -   Mature leaves.—Quantity per plant: 9 to 11 leaves are            produced before flowering. Length (fully expanded): 14.5 cm            to 16.5 cm. Width: 6.0 cm to 7.0 cm. Shape: Oblong. Base            shape: Moderately elongated. Apex: Obtuse unequal. Leaf            blade angle with the petiole (measured from the horizontal            position): Between 10 degrees and 25 degrees. Leaf margin:            Entire. Color: Upper surface: RHS 146A. Lower surface: RHS            146B. Texture: Rough. Thickness: 2.2 mm to 2.5 mm. Venation:            Pattern: Parallel. Color of the midvein: Upper surface: RHS            146A. Lower surface: RHS 146B.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Quantity per plant.—1 to 6.        -   Number of flowers per peduncle.—6 to 10.        -   Length.—39.0 cm to 54.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—5.0 mm to 5.5 mm.        -   Strength.—Moderate.        -   Aspect.—Upright to slightly pendant.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Green (RHS 144A) with a touch of light brown (RHS            N199A) at the base.        -   Internode length.—4.0 cm to 5.0 cm.        -   Callosities.—None.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Upright to slightly pendant, raceme            inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open            in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height (from base to tip): 120.0 mm to            150.0 mm.        -   Flowering time.—First flowers can be expected 10 to 11            months after planting in a 12 cm (diameter) pot.        -   Flower.—Height: 60.0 mm to 65.0 mm. Diameter: 78.0 mm to            83.0 mm. Depth of lip: 22.0 mm to 24.0 mm.        -   Flower longevity.—On the plant: 11 to 21 weeks.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Flower bud.—Average size: Large. Length: 22.0 mm to 24.0 mm.            Width: 17.0 mm to 19.0 mm. Shape: Egg shaped. Color: Light            green (RHS 145C) and diluting light red-purple (RHS 184C).        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Open/free. Shape: Semi-circular. Apex:            Rounded asymmetric. Margin: Slightly undulated. Length (from            base to tip): 37.0 mm to 39.0 mm. Width: 45.0 mm to 47.0 mm.            Color (when fully opened): Upper surface: Basic color: White            (RHS NN155C). Over color: Absent. Lower surface: Basic            color: White (RHS NN155C). Over color: Absent.        -   Dorsal sepal.—Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Rounded to slightly            emarginated. Margin: Entire. Length (from base to tip): 41.0            mm to 43.0 mm. Width: 30.0 mm to 32.0 mm. Color (when fully            opened): Upper surface: Basic color: White (RHS NN155C).            Over color: Absent. Lower surface: Basic color: White (RHS            NN155C). Over color: Light purple (RHS 76B).        -   Lateral sepals.—Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse asymmetric.            Margin: Entire. Length (from base to tip): 38.0 mm to            40.0 mm. Width: 26.0 mm to 28.0 mm. Color (when fully            opened): Upper surface: Basic color: White (RHS NN155C).            Over color: Light purple (RHS N78D) at the base. Lower            surface: Basic color: White (RHS NN155C). Over color: Light            purple (RHS 76B).        -   Labellum (lip).—Whiskers: Present. Length of whiskers: 19.0            mm to 21.0 mm. Color of whiskers: White (RHS NN155C) at the            base and yellow (RHS 8B) toward the tips. Pubescence on the            lip: Absent.        -   Lateral lobe.—Shape: Type V (as described in the            International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of            Plants (UPOV) Test Guidelines for Phalaenopsis); spatulate.            Margin: Slightly undulated. Length: 20.0 mm to 22.0 mm.            Width: 14.0 mm to 16.0 mm. Color: White (RHS NN155C) with            few red-purple (RHS 64A) stripes at the base and yellow (RHS            9B) on one side.        -   Apical lobe.—Shape: Triangular. Margin: Entire. Length: 19.0            mm to 21.0 mm. Width: 23.0 mm to 25.0 mm. Color: Yellow at            the base and stripe in the middle (RHS 9B/C); light brown            (RHS 172B) on the side of wings and white (RHS NN155C)            toward the whiskers.        -   Callus.—Average size: Medium. Height: 6.0 mm to 7.0 mm.            Length: 6.0 mm to 7.0 mm. Width: 4.0 mm to 5.0 mm. Color:            Yellow (RHS 9C) dotted (RHS 172A).-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Column.—Length: 8.0 mm to 10.0 mm. Diameter: 6.0 mm to            6.3 mm. Color: White (RHS NN155C).        -   Pollinia.—Quantity: 2. Diameter: 1.0 mm to 1.2 mm. Color:            Orange (RHS 25A).        -   Ovary.—Length: 8.0 mm to 10.0 mm. Diameter: 2.3 mm to 2.5            mm.        -   Pedicel.—Length: 31.0 mm to 33.0 mm. Diameter: 2.7 mm to            2.9 mm. Color: Green (RHS 145B/C) at the base and slightly            light purple (RHS 76B) toward the flower.-   Disease, pest, and stress resistance: No specific resistance or    susceptibility observed to pathogens and pests common to    Phalaenopsis.-   Fruit and seeds: Fruit and seed development has not been observed on    plants of the new Phalaenopsis.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND MOST SIMILAR VARIETIES

‘PHALGONDAL’ differs from female parent plant ‘01-3120’ (unpatented) inthat ‘PHALGONDAL’ has red-purple stripes on the lateral lobe, greenpeduncles with a touch of light brown at the base and lateral sepalswith an over color, whereas ‘01-3120’ has dark red stripes on thelateral lobe, peduncles with a mix of light green and light brown andlateral sepals with no over color. Additionally, ‘PHALGONDAL’ hassmaller flowers than ‘01-1320’.

‘PHALGONDAL’ differs from male parent plant ‘22444-010’ (unpatented) inthat ‘PHALGONDAL’ has red-purple (RHS 64A) stripes on the lateral lobe,green peduncles with a touch of light brown at the base and lateralsepals with an over color, whereas ‘22444-010’ has red-purple (RHS70A/B) stripes on the lateral lobe, green peduncles and lateral sepalswith no over color. Additionally, ‘PHALGONDAL’ has narrower apical lobesthan ‘22444-010’.

‘PHALGONDAL’ is most similar to the commercial Phalaenopsis plants named‘PHALZIFY’ (unpatented) and ‘PHALUBIEN’ (unpatented). ‘PHALGONDAL’differs from the commercial variety ‘PHALZIFY’ in that ‘PHALGONDAL’ haslight purple over color on the lateral sepals, green peduncles with atouch of light brown at the base and medium curvature of the laterallobes, whereas ‘PHALZIFY’ has no over color on the lateral sepals, greenpeduncles and strong curvature of the lateral lobes. Additionally,‘PHALGONDAL’ has smaller flowers and slightly longer whiskers than‘PHALZIFY’.

‘PHALGONDAL’ differs from the commercial variety ‘PHALUBIEN’ in that‘PHALGONDAL’ has light purple over color on the lateral sepals and greenpeduncles with a touch of light brown at the base, whereas ‘PHALUBIEN’has light green over color on the lateral sepals and peduncles with amix of dark green and brown. Additionally, ‘PHALGONDAL’ has smallerflowers and longer whiskers than ‘PHALUBIEN’.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Phalaenopsis plant named‘PHALGONDAL’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.